Linux Kernel 6.18 Officially Released, Could Be the Next LTS Kernel Series

posted by Marius Nestor on Nov 30, 2025,
updated Dec 04, 2025

Highlights of Linux 6.18 include the removal of the Bcachefs file system, support for the Rust Binder driver, a new dm-pcache device-mapper target to enable persistent memory as a cache for slower block devices, and a new microcode= command-line option to control the microcode loader’s behavior on x86 platforms.

Linux kernel 6.18 also extends the support for file handles to kernel namespaces, implements initial ‘block size > page size’ support for the Btrfs file system, adds PTW feature detection on new hardware for LoongArch KVM, and adds support for running the kernel as a guest on FreeBSD’s Bhyve hypervisor.

Read on

Update (by Roy)

LWN, original, and more:

• LWN ☛ The 6.18 kernel has been released

  Headline changes in this release include the ability to manage namespaces with file handles, support for the AccECN congestion-control protocol, initial support for signing of BPF programs, improved memory management with sheaves, the Rust binder driver, better control over transparent huge pages, and a lot more. This release also saw the removal of the bcachefs filesystem.

• Linuxiac ☛ Linux Kernel 6.18 Released, This Is What’s New

  At a high level, Linux kernel 6.18 introduces a new PSP-based encryption option for TCP connections, faster slab allocation and swapping, significant UDP receive-side improvements, a persistent-cache device-mapper target, namespaces that can be managed via file handles, support for Accurate ECN in TCP, and signed BPF programs, on top of many smaller core and driver changes.

• LWN ☛ Linux 6.18

  So I'll have to admit that I'd have been happier with slightly less
  bugfixing noise in this last week of the release, but while there's a
  few more fixes than I would hope for, there was nothing that made me
  feel like this needs more time to cook. So 6.18 is tagged and pushed
  out.
  
  
  Most of the last-minute fixes are minor fixes to drivers, with some
  random noise elsewhere (bluetooth, ceph, afs..). Nothing strikes me as
  standing out, but hey, there's a shortlog appended if you want to see
  the details.
  
  
  And this obviously means that the merge window will open tomorrow, and
  I already have three dozen pull requests pending. Thanks. And as I
  already mentioned a couple of weeks ago in one of the rc release
  notes, this upcoming release will have the merge window coincide with
  the yearly kernel maintainer summit, which means that I'll be
  traveling the second week. I hope to have all the bulk of the merge
  window done before travels and that it won't be all that noticeable,
  but we'll see.
  
  
  So the actual rc1 release might be delayed by travel, but that will
  *not* mean that I would accept late merge window pull requests. It
  just means that I might not deal with on-time requests quite as timely
  manner as is the norm, and maybe rc1 will be delayed by timezones and
  a day or two. Just a heads-up (but I've done the "travel during the
  second week of the merge window" thing before, and usually the impact
  is fairly low).
  
  
  And then later in the 6.19 release, we have the holiday season. That
  typically delays the release by a week.
  
  
  Now, when looking at the calendar, I'm not 100% sure an extra week
  would be needed for 6.19, because even a regular release schedule
  would make it be in February. And people will presumably have gotten
  over their food coma by then. But right now my plan is to just make
  6.19 go to rc8 just because I don't see much downside to adding that
  extra week to make up for any possibly lost time.
  
  
  Anyway, *today* the important kernel is the newly minted 6.18 release.
  Please do keep testing,
  
  
              Linus
  

Neowin:

• Linux 6.18 kernel lands with Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go 2 fixes

  Linux Torvalds has released the last kernel update for the year. The merge window for Linux 6.19 is now open, but it's expecting some delays.

OMG Joey:

• Linux 6.18 Release Improves Gaming, Laptops, and Security

  Linux kernel 6.18 delivers performance boosts, new laptop drivers, and a controversial filesystem removal, plus more key changes inside.

More from Ji M:

• Linux Kernel 6.18 Released! How to Install it in Ubuntu

  Linux Kernel 6.18 was released yesterday! According to the version history, it will be probably the next Long Term Support (LTS) kernel release.

CNX:

• Linux 6.18 release – Main changes, Arm, RISC-V, and MIPS architectures

  Linus Torvalds has just announced the release of GNU/Linux 6.18 on the GNU/Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML), which will likely become the next LTS kernel: So I’ll have to admit that I’d have been happier with slightly less bugfixing noise in this last week of the release, but while there’s a few more fixes than I would hope for, there was nothing that made me feel like this needs more time to cook. So 6.18 is tagged and pushed out. Most of the last-minute fixes are minor fixes to drivers, with some random noise elsewhere (bluetooth, ceph, afs..).

It's FOSS:

• "Less Bugfixing Noise": Last Kernel Release of 2025 is Here and it Could be an LTS

  A clean roundup of what’s been added under the hood.

Bootlin boasting:

• Linux 6.18 released, Bootlin contributions inside

  The 6.18 version of the GNU/Linux kernel has just been released, and as usual we recommend our readers to look at the 6.18 merge window coverage by LWN.net (part 1, part 2) to get the best overview of the major changes in this release.

Lesser known site:

• Linux Kernel 6.18 Launches With Big Architectural Upgrades and Bcachefs Removal

  The Linux Kernel project reached another milestone with the official release of version 6.18, announced by Linus Torvalds. This update introduces a wide array of architectural changes, hardware enablement improvements, and feature adjustments, while also signaling a notable shift in how certain subsystems are maintained.

  Although the release is immediately available from kernel.org or Torvalds’ public git tree, users are generally advised to wait for their distributions to publish the update in their stable repositories.

Valnet:

• Linux kernel 6.18 has arrived: Here's what's new

  The Linux 6.18 stable kernel has officially been released, bringing a lot of major performance improvements and crucial hardware support. This new kernel is packed with features, touching everything from storage and networking to graphics and Apple hardware support.

  Apple users should be happy to see the massive upstreaming of Apple Silicon support. 6.18 includes Device Trees for the M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra chips. This is a big step forward in bringing full, mainline Linux support to the latest generations of high-end Apple laptops and workstations.

  On the Intel side, the kernel is also continuing to bring up support for the upcoming Wildcat Lake platform, including initial display and power management features, alongside new enablement for Intel's SPI serial flash. We’re also seeing initial haptic touchpad support merged, which is a fantastic quality-of-life feature that should make using Linux on many modern ultrabooks feel much snappier.

In The Register MS:

• Linux 6.18 arrives as the year's final drop and likely next LTS

  The last new kernel release of 2025 is here, and it's looking likely this will be the new LTS kernel release.

  On the last Sunday of November, Linus Torvalds announced Linux 6.18, the kernel that Ari Lemmke named after him in 1991. It's the last kernel release of the year, and that means it is highly likely 6.18 will be the next Long Term Support (LTS) kernel.

  As usual, there are lots of new drivers and improved support for multiple kinds of hardware. There are also many changed and refined features, but not many big exciting new ones. The most visible change in 6.18 is that Linus removed the experimental bcachefs file system that was added in kernel 6.7 almost two years ago and relegated to being externally maintained in September. The bcachefs project now has external repositories to install the file system's DKMS modules on Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE listed on the project homepage, and mentions that it's included in Arch and NixOS. Aside from that, there's been little news for the last couple of months.

Linuxiac:

• Linux 6.18 Is Now Listed as the New Long-Term Support Kernel

  The Linux kernel follows a predictable development rhythm. A new mainline release occurs every 9 to 10 weeks, forming what is commonly referred to as a “regular” or “stable” kernel. These kernels receive updates only for a short period, typically a few months, before developers move on to the next version.

Slashdot:

• 2025-12-01 [Older] Linux Kernel 6.18 Officially Released

More from Marius:

• It’s Official: Linux Kernel 6.18 Will Be LTS, Supported Until December 2027

  Linux kernel 6.18 is now officially marked as LTS (Long-Term Support) on the kernel.org website and it will be supported until December 2027.